Awl-feeding mechanism.



w. n. BLAIR.

AWL FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICA TION FILED FEB. I. l9l5.

Patented June 22, 1915.

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0111 $1. LOUIS, MISSOI, SIGNOE T0 LANDIS MACHINE 015 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A it. t TION 01E MISSOURI.

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accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to leather sewing machines of the general type illustrated and described in U. ,8. Letters Patent, No. 743,870 to French and Meyer. I

The specific feature to which this invention relates is an improvement in the means for adjusting the feed or throw of the awl. As is well known, in such machines the work is fed to the needle by an awl which has a vertical movement in which itoperates to pierce the work, and a lateral horizontal movement in which it operates to carry the work along to proper position under the needle. 7

In the sewing of shoes, it is necessary to have a wide variance in length of stitch, this circumstance being particularly pertinent 1n recent t1me due to the popular demand for rubber-soled shoes, which it. is necessary to sew with very long stitches. It is understood, of course, that the length of stitch is determined bythe extent of lateral feed of the awl, and hence the length of stitch is determined by the adjustment of the awl for the lateral feeding movement.

By reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference are used to indicate like parts throughout, it will be understood that Figure 1 repreeents a detail top view, partly in section, of the awl carrying and operating mechanism, and Fig. 2 is a detail front view of the same parts of the machine. 2

Referring more specifically to the drawings, it will be understood that 1 represents the awl feed plate which is mounted for lateral sliding movement on the machine frame. At the left hand extremity of this plate is a bracket 2, at the upper extremity of which is pivoted the awl segment 4 carrying the aw 5. The awl segment 4 is suitably actuated, to give the awl a verticaloscillatory movement, by a segment arm 6 which is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 1, me. Serial Ito. 5,532.

Patented Tune 22, 119th,

pro erl actuated from a driving cam.

phi tab y mounted on the plate 1, and adjustable by means of a screw 7 is the late 7. Prvoted to this late at 8 is the eedadjusting lever 9. his feed-adjusting lever 9 1s provided with a forwardly directed arm 9 pro ectlng considerably in front of the longitu lnal axis of the lever 9, andpivoted on this forwardly projecting arm. is a loose block 10. The outer extremity 9" of the lever 9 projects to cooperate with a segment 11. This segment may be-provided wlth the apertures 11 with which cooperate plugspr PIIIS 11*, the latter being adapted to ht in any of the apertures 11, and afford stop members which cooperate with the extremity 9 of the adjusting lever to retain it 1n ad usted position. The segment 11 may be suitably calibrated as a means for indicatlng to the operator the various adjustments for length of stitch. The awl-shifting lever 12 1S pivoted at 12, and has at its rearward end a roller 14 which is adapted to cooperate w1th a suitable driving cam 15, by v1rtue of wh1ch horizontal oscillatory movement is imparted to lever 12 on its pivot point 12. The forward arm of lever 12 is provided with an arcuate slot 12, in which slot the loose block 10 slides, the sides of the sad block having close contact with the sides of the slot. By virtue of this arrangement, as is well known in the art, the oscillatory movement imparted to lever 12 is transnutted to the sliding plate 1 through awl-ad usting lever 9, the position of the loose block 10 relative to the pivot point 12 determining the length of throw imparted improved form of lever, however, due to the positioning of the loose block 10 on the forward pro ection 9 in advance of the lever, it is not necessary, in order to secure the maxrmumstitch, to swing the extremit 9 of the ad usting lever to a position w ere 1t wlll interfere with the manipulation of llOE the shoe. Furthermore, I am enabled by this arrangement to materially shorten the segment 11 so that'its forward end will be entirely out of the way of the operator, while at the same time being able to. secure an adjustment for a stitch of greater length than is securable with formeradjusting arrangements. At the same time it is possi- 'ble to secure, with this arrangement, all of 10 the various gradients of adjustment of stitch. It is obvious, therefore,that my in- I vention provides means whereby the maximum length of stitch now obtainable may be considerably increased, the various gradients whole-sole shoes; that is repair them by addthe sole portion, the length of stitch being ing a sole which includes both the sole proper and the shank. In applyin such soles it is customary to sew the shan portion with a considerably longer stitch than changed by movementof the adjusting lever while the work is in the machine and while the machine is in operation. It is of obvious importance, therefore, that the manipulative means for altering the stitch be free from interference with the work and in position where'it may be easily and quickly manipulated by the operator while the machine is in operation.

What I claim is:

' In a machine of the class described, a stitch-regulating mechanism comprising a shiftable awl-carrying member, a pivoted shifting ,lever adapted to reciprocate the same, an adjustable lever having pivotal connection with the awl-carrying member, said shifting lever having a forwardly extending arm, a bearin member mounted on said forwardly exten ing arm and having shiftable engagement with the shifting lever, and means whereby said adjusting lever may be manipulated to vary the point of engagement of said bearin member relative to the fulcrum oint of said shifting lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two' witnesses, this 29th day ofiJanuary, 1915.

WILLIAM R. BLAIR.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, C. S. BUTLER. 

